"Teenage hackers are motivated by idealism and impressing their mates rather than money, according to a study by the National Crime Agency."

'It found that those interviewed, who had an average age of 17, were unlikely to be involved in theft, fraud or harassment. Instead they saw hacking as a “moral crusade”, said Paul Hoare, senior manager at the NCA’s cybercrime unit, who led the research.

'Others were motivated by a desire to tackle technical problems and prove themselves to friends, the report found.

'Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Hoare said: “They don’t understand the implications on business, government websites and individuals.”

'Young hackers could profit from their skills if they avoided cybercrime, he said. “A lot of the skill sets these people have are hugely marketable. The world has a lack of cybersecurity and there are lucrative careers to be had, but [they] are much harder to come by if you already have a criminal conviction.”'